News In Levels for ESL

News in Levels is a website that provides students of English with news articles in graded skill levels. Articles are based on news videos from ITN News out of London, and each article is available in four levels. Level 0, currently in Beta, provides an image from the source video with a few vocabulary words. The words are also delivered via a Soundcloud audio file embedded in the site. Students can listen and repeat while reading the words from the image. Levels 1 and 2 provide simplified versions, using 1,000 and 3,000 words respectively, of the transcript from the video, which is viewable in Level 3. Levels 1 and 2 also rely on a Soundcloud audio file to allow students to listen along while reading. (Click the images below for a closer look)

Level 0: beta – news for beginners

Level 1: news in 1000 words

Level 2: news in 3000 words

Level 3: news in 5000 words

This tool could be a great way to get ESL students working together around authentic news materials. The site offers a number of categories, such as Sports, Nature, Interesting, and Funny, so students have a wide variety of materials to choose from. There are also some limited teacher resources available on the site.

So, how would you use NewsInLevels with your students?

* Update: If you try to use this site on your mobile device, you may find that the Souncloud links disappear. Just scroll down to the bottom of the page and choose the Desktop site option to resolve this. (Confirmed on iPhone in Safari and Chrome)

Published by Stephen Henneberry

Steve embraced technology in the classroom as a means to enliven and enrich the learning environment, and hasn't turned back since. He has presented widely on the use of educational technology in language learning, and is an unapologetic iPad enthusiast. He currently resides in Shimane prefecture with his wife, children, and a rather large collection of Apple products.
View all posts by Stephen Henneberry

Dan,
I don’t know of a way to slow down the audio online, but you can download it and do it in an desktop app if you like. If their materials were available via podcast there are a few apps that can adapt the rate of audio, but I have not found a podcast feed.